EPA's Food Steward's Pledge

The Food Steward's Pledge is part of an ongoing effort to engage with the faith community and raise awareness on the importance of a changing climate.

Faith communities understand the need to care for the well-being of all people and responsible stewardship of our resources for both current and future generations. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that about 14.3 percent of households in the United States did not have regular access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the 870 million undernourished people worldwide could be fed by wasted food.

In 2014, more than 36 million tons of food waste was thrown into cumbustion facilities with energy recover or landfills. When excess food, leftover food, and food scraps are disposed of in a landfill, they decompose and become a significant source of methane – a potent greenhouse gas with 25 times the global warming potential of carbon pollution. Much of the food that is discarded in landfills is actually safe, wholesome food that can be used to feed vulnerable populations.